19 year old who launched airline

**futuremillionair** · 05-07-2006 12:43 PM

Has anyone heard of the teenager Martin Halstead? He launched and airline called Alpha 1 Airways. He also started a company when he was 15 years old and later sold his share of the company. That company made flight simulator software and I guess he made a good amount of money to start an airline. The airline only has flights in a limited area and smaller jets but very impressive that he could do this.

**adamg** · 05-07-2006 12:58 PM

I think I read something about him on the bbc website, said he was the next Richard Branson.

Airlines are a very risky business.

**futuremillionair** · 05-07-2006 01:03 PM

Yeah they call him the baby branson.

**mxer210** · 05-07-2006 01:32 PM

Sounds cocky to me. Pride comes before the fall...

**mebreezy** · 05-07-2006 02:31 PM

Well passenger airlines are risky... FedEx is considered an airline and they're far from risky. Actually they're the leader in the airline industry as far as $$ goes. A close second is UPS.

**mxer210** · 05-07-2006 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by mebreezy

Well passenger airlines are risky... FedEx is considered an airline and they're far from risky. Actually they're the leader in the airline industry as far as $$ goes. A close second is UPS.

Do you mean FexEx Air and UPS Air? You can't count their ground and freight units when comparing them to airlines... Now that even JetBlue is losing money, any airlines with a positive net profit would be considered a leader in the industry.

**adamg** · 05-07-2006 04:35 PM

all airlines are risky because of high reliance on oil prices. BA are doing well becuase they have a fuel charge added on top of the ticket price.

Ryan, Daillywebby.com looks good. I think I can rember seeing the guy on some TV program in a pilots uniform, I think he planned to fly the planes himself, or something like that, can't really rember. came across as a decent guy.

**Jimmye** · 05-07-2006 09:43 PM

With the way fuel prices are going he wont be so cocky anymore

**Jamie 456** · 05-07-2006 10:03 PM

You can do really well in airlines, if you pick the proper routes. Look at Canjet.

**F360** · 05-08-2006 12:37 AM

Look at emirates airline. They made aproxx $650 million profits last year. Or was it $950,000,000???

They started as a two man team flying people in small planes to the UK frrom pakistan if I recall correctly.

**Outta Hand** · 05-11-2006 08:27 AM

Any business is risky, mind you, its only risky if you don't know what you are up against and honestly speaking the only way to know most times is to jump with both feet and just learn.... some may say cocky but i would say that he is just trying and learning... afterall he is only 15

**NeeJam** · 05-11-2006 11:37 AM

hmm interesting, i read something about him in a newspaper article, i wonder if his airline will do well.

I heard that he started it from his bedroom whilst studing at college, and has convinced his shareholders to lease a plane.

**aeromech** · 05-11-2006 12:11 PM

Just a co-incidence? The other day I was discussing about this teenager's Airline with my friend. I found this link http://www.avweb.com/newswire/11_46a.../190982-1.html
And this URL is for his Website http://www.flyalpha1.com/

I wonder if its working, looks like it was last updated on Nov '05. Well! wish him luck fellas and its true yeah, running an Airline sure is tough. But I'd love it though, that's my route allrite.

**NeeJam** · 05-11-2006 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by aeromech

Just a co-incidence? The other day I was discussing about this teenager's Airline with my friend. I found this link http://www.avweb.com/newswire/11_46a.../190982-1.html
And this URL is for his Website http://www.flyalpha1.com/

I wonder if its working, looks like it was last updated on Nov '05. Well! wish him luck fellas and its true yeah, running an Airline sure is tough. But I'd love it though, that's my route allrite.

not a bad website actually if it was updated, and all the links were in place.

**Jerimi** · 05-11-2006 03:41 PM

Probably why it hasnt been updated:

However, AlphaOne Airways failed to launch its flights as promised on April 18 2005. It was later revealed that a vital investor had pulled out at the last minute, leaving Halstead with no option but to go back to square one. In November 2005, he relaunched AlphaOne Airways, this time planning flying from the Isle of Man to Edinburgh.

Although AlphaOne had no aircraft of its own, a first press flight departed on November 7, carrying invited guests and media from Southampton to the Isle of Man. The first passenger revenue flight was on December 14 from the Isle of Man to Edinburgh. Halstead arranged for small licensed air carriers to carry the few dozen passengers who had booked with him. In January 2006 AlphaOne Airways suspended operations. During the short life of his airline, Halstead had facilitated the transport of some forty passengers on the route between the Isle of Man and Edinburgh.

EDITED to include source